Swollen rivers force school closures as Punjab faces more flood threat
Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers in spate due to heavy rain and dam water release; multiple districts order school holidays
Swollen rivers force school closures as Punjab faces more flood threat
Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers in spate due to heavy rain and dam water release; multiple districts order school holidays
Villages across several districts in Punjab are facing a major flood threat from rising water levels in the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers and seasonal rivulets due to incessant rainfall in their catchment areas, and the release of surplus water from Pong and Bhakra dams.
The district administration of Hoshiarpur on Monday (August 25) ordered the closure of all schools on Tuesday and Wednesday (August 26 and 27), while the Pathankot, Jalandhar and Kapurthala administrations announced a holiday for all educational institutions on August 26 in view of heavy rainfall forecast.
The Fazilka district authorities have also ordered the closure of schools in 20 villages along the Sutlej in the wake of rising water levels.
Rivers in spate
The Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers and seasonal rivulets are in spate because of heavy rainfall in their catchment areas in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.
Water release from Pong dam in Himachal Pradesh continued on Monday even as several low-lying villages of the Tanda region remain inundated for the last several days.
Flood waters from the Beas entered agricultural fields near Motla, Haler Janardhan, Sanial, Kolian and Mehtabpur villages in Mukerian sub-division of Hoshiarpur on Sunday evening after heavy rain in the Chakki Khad catchment of Pathankot led to a surge of water in the river, causing it to overflow from embankments.
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Heavy rain forecast
The Punjab government has already announced a special girdawari (loss assessment) to ascertain losses, including crop damage, in flood-affected areas.
Rains lashed several parts of Punjab and some places in Haryana on Monday.
Hoshiarpur Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain said the decision to close schools on August 26-27 has been taken in view of heavy rainfall forecast, as several roads leading to schools are waterlogged. The meteorological department has also predicted more rain in the coming days, she added.
The district education officers (secondary and elementary education) have been directed to ensure compliance with the order.
Border villages hit
The Pathankot district administration declared a holiday in all educational institutions on August 26 in the wake of incessant rains.
“Keeping in mind the continuous rains in Pathankot district, a holiday is declared in all government and non-government schools, colleges and other educational institutions of Pathankot district on August 26,” read an order issued by Pathankot Deputy Commissioner Aditya Uppal.
The educational institutions remained shut on Monday as well.
Several villages near the India-Pakistan border in Pathankot have been affected after the water level in Ujh and Ravi rivers and rivulets rose following heavy rains in the neighbouring states.
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Sutlej water rising
In Fazilka district, the administration ordered that all schools in 20 districts near the Sutlej will remain shut from August 26 to 28 in view of the rising water levels in the river due to rains that have caused a flood-like situation.
The villages included Muhar Jamsher, Teja Ruhela, Chak Ruhela, Dona Nanka, Mahatam Nagar and Ram Singh Bhaini.
The administration has also ordered for “Thikri Pehra” in affected villages, a concept of people guarding themselves in an emergency through community policing.
Relief material distributed
On Monday, Punjab Cabinet Minister Baljit Kaur and Fazilka MLA Narinder Pal Singh Sawna visited flood-affected villages Teja Ruhela and Chakk Ruhela in Fazilka, where they distributed relief material, including cattle feed, to support the affected families.
Kaur said that due to heavy rainfall in the hills, around 1.70 lakh cusecs of water has been released from Harike Headworks, which is expected to reach Fazilka district through Sutlej Creek by Tuesday, further raising the water level.
She appealed to the residents to move women, children and the elderly to safer places immediately.
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Relief camps in Fazilka
The minister said that, as per the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the Punjab government has set up relief camps across the district, while teams from health, animal husbandry, water supply and sanitation, and revenue departments are actively working in the villages.
Special arrangements are being made to provide food and medical care to pregnant women, lactating women and children.
MLA Sawna reiterated the Punjab government’s commitment to extending all possible support to the affected population.
He stated that ration kits, cattle feed, and green fodder are being distributed on priority.
He added that the District Flood Control Room is operational and can be contacted at 01638-262153 for any assistance.
Flood preparations
Fazilka Deputy Commissioner Amarpreet Kaur Sandhu said the district administration is fully prepared to deal with any situation arising out of floods.
She said the water resources department is keeping a close watch on the flow of water and five relief camps have been set up.
The police have been instructed to make security arrangements for people coming to these relief camps, and the public works department has been instructed to survey houses in the affected villages and ensure that no people are living in any unsafe buildings, she said.
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Community kitchens, patrols
In Ferozepur, Deputy Commissioner Deepshikha Sharma said that a base camp has been set up in Gaddi Rajo village and an ambulance has been deployed to assist the flood-affected villages.
Medical camps have already been set up in various flood-affected villages including Tendiwala, and National Disaster Response Force teams have been put on alert, she said, adding that if required, these teams will also be called for assistance.
Sharma said instructions have been given to all sub-divisional magistrates to arrange meal with the help of community kitchens wherever it is required.
Continuous patrolling should be done in the flood-affected villages and immediate assistance should be provided wherever required.
Water bottles, dry rations
Instructions have also been given to arrange water bottles in Kalu Wala village and dry ration is also being provided, she said.
The deputy commissioner further said that the health department is also on an alert mode.
Civil Surgeon Rajwinder Kaur said two pregnant women from flood-hit Tendiwala village were brought to a health centre where they delivered babies.
The district administration told people that there was no need to panic and in case of an emergency related to floods, they can contact the control room.
The Amritsar district administration has declared a holiday for all schools in Ajnala and Rayya on August 26 in view of the spate in Beas and Ravi rivers.
The Gurdaspur district administration also announced a holiday for schools in two blocks of Dinanagar sub-division.
(With agency inputs)